Everything specific to Florida in one place: what a death certificate costs and how to get one, who has the legal right to arrange the funeral, and where to find official help. Each section links to a full guide with its sources.
Florida at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $5 first copy, $4 each additional |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | The decedent, through written inter vivos authorizations and directions |
| Can you name someone in advance? | No separate form |
| The law | Fla. Stat. § 497.005 (definition of 'legally authorized person') |
Funeral cost calculator for Florida
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using Florida funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in Florida
These are medians from 10 Florida funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (10 cities, dated 2023-02 to 2026-09), collected in September 2026. Each figure counts only the price lists that show that item. Direct cremation and immediate burial are the lowest option each home lists; some include a basic container or the crematory fee and some do not. Your funeral home’s own price list is the only figure that counts for your bill.
| Item | Median | Price lists |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation (lowest listed option) | $1,792.50 | 10 |
| Basic services fee | $1,847.50 | 10 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $372.50 | 10 |
The 10 price lists behind these figures
- Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, Sebring, 2025-10-20
- Lifesong Funeral & Cremation Services, Tallahassee, 2025-06-15
- Arlington Park Funeral Home, Jacksonville, 2023-04-10
- Russell Haven of Rest Cemetery and Funeral Home, Green Cove Springs
- Veterans Funeral Care, Clearwater, 2023-02-07
- Newcomer Funeral Home (Orlando), Orlando, 2026-09-10
- Hodges Family Funeral Home, Dade City, 2026-05-02
- Legacy Options Funeral & Cremation, Fort Myers, 2026-02-01
- Affinity Cremation, Brandon, 2026-09-15
- Cremation With Care, Fort Lauderdale, 2024-10-01
Under the FTC Funeral Rule every funeral home must give you its prices over the phone, so calling two or three is the fastest way to a real number. How much a funeral costs, line by line.
Death certificates in Florida
Certified copies come from Bureau of Vital Statistics, Florida Department of Health. FL DOH: "Normal processing time for death certificates from 2009 to present is 3-5 business days not including shipping time. Records prior to 2009 require additional processing time.". Full guide: getting a death certificate in Florida.
Who decides the funeral in Florida
Florida law sets the order. The first people in line are: The decedent, through written inter vivos authorizations and directions; DD Form 93 designee (if the decedent died in military service); Surviving spouse; Adult son or daughter. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in Florida
Federal help is the same in every state: Social Security’s one-time $255 payment to an eligible spouse or child, VA burial benefits for eligible veterans, and FEMA help only after a declared disaster. What each pays and how to apply.
Some Florida counties and cities also help low-income families with burial or cremation costs. Ask the social services office in the county where the person died.
More official links for every state: funeral resources · all states.